Naked Man Carrying Giant Cross Runs Through Beijing China: Can You Help Solve The Mystery? (PICTURE)

A picture of a naked man running down a street with a giant crucifix reportedly in Beijing, has gone viral as internet users don their deerstalkers and attempt to solve the mystery.

The lack of clothes, the size of the cross, the panicked run and the night time setting have kindled the fires of reddit's overactive imagination, with some suggesting an unusual second coming and another punning 'a cross to bare.'

The real reason could be more serious, with some reports of Christians being persecuted in China. According to China Aid, there has been a tough crackdown on Christians practising their faith, with house churches forced to call their gatherings "patriotic" assemblies or face being sent to prison.

The Texas-based human rights group also claimed that incidents of government-sponsored persecution of Christians rose by 42% between 2011 and 2012. However there are conflicting reports on how widespread persecution is, with some travellers recounting hearing Christian music in restaurants and people reading the Bible in cafes.

China is home to the seventh-largest Christian population in the world, with estimates of around 60-80 million Christians.

According to Chinese news website Shanghaiist.com, pictures of a naked woman chasing a naked man carrying a sex doll through the country's capital city swept China's virtual universe with great speed.

The South China Morning Post reported that the pictures have caused much speculation with one blogger asking: ''Is this a real-life Temple Run?" referring to a popular local game where a player takes on the role of an explorer attempting to steal an idol from a temple and outrun monsters chasing from behind.

An international game?

Any clues on the latest mystery? Leave your answers in the comments below or reply with a tip submission!